Warlock (lore)
World of Warcraft|other= }} Warlocks (also known as animancers)Animated Fel were former mages (or former shamans)Lord of the Clans: These former shaman, these new warlocks, had had the briefest taste of power and, like the barest drop of honey on the tongue, found it sweet indeed. that delved too deeply into the roots of demonic power, the power of aberrations that reveled in pushing the boundaries of their power, heedless of the consequences. Consumed by a lust for dark knowledge, they've tapped into chaotic magics from beyond the world—magics that connected the myriad worlds together. The Burning Legion, a destructive army from beyond the stars, now feeds them their powers, allowing them to call upon the powerful emissaries of their demon masters and channel destructive energies. If the energies of a world can be used for destruction, then energies of the underworld could destroy. Its this destructive power that the warlocks use in their incantations and rituals. As the most powerful of the sects, these dark brethren of Hades go where none others dare in search of ultimate power. Their Towers hold the keys to unleashing the very essence of evil upon those they see as a threat to their devious plans. Spells that channel the fire and brimstone of hell through their bodies as if they are hellish totems, or can summon forth great creatures - even daemons - are theirs to use.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Warlock Practitioners of the warlockian beliefs, warlocks bind demons to their will and command the fel powers that hold control over fel constructs such as infernals. Linked to daemons and, by extension, the dominions of the lower planes, warlocks have power over all things demonic and warlockian, including the summoning of demonic soldiers to create armies of the demonic. Through rituals performed at their Towers, they learn to warp the essence of disorder to use for their advantage. Background Before life even began, before even the cosmos took shape, there was Light ... and Void. In the form of a boundless prismatic sea, the Light swelled across all existence. The ocean of Light was dynamic and ever shifting. Yet as it expanded, some of its energies faded and dimmed, leaving behind pockets of cold nothingness. From the absence of Light in these spaces, a new power coalesced and came to be. This power was the Void, a dark and vampiric force driven to devour all energy, to twist creation inward to feed upon itself. The Void quickly grew and spread its influence, moving against the waves of Light. The mounting tension between these two opposing yet inseparable energies eventually ignited a series of catastrophic explosions, rupturing the fabric of creation and birthing a new realm into existence. In that moment, the physical universe was born. The energies released by the clash of Light and Void raged across the nascent cosmos, raw matter merging and spinning into primordial worlds without number.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 30-31 on iBooks The most common forms of life to appear were the elemental spirits—primordial beings of fire, water, earth, and air. These creatures were native to nearly every physical world. Occasionally, cloud of fractured Light gathered and gave shape to beings of far greater power, of far greater potential. Among them were the titans. Composed of the primordial matter from which the universe was born, the titans were godlike beings.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 25 on iBooks Their spirits—known as world-souls—formed deep within the fiery core of a small number of worlds. These energies suffused the celestial bodies they have inhabited.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 31-32 on iBooks Rise of Demons The most unstable energies coalesced into an astral dimension known as the Twisting Nether. The creatures that had emerged from this realm were known as demons. They had been formed as a result of the Light and Void energies that had bled together at the borders of the Twisting Nether. The demons embraced their furious passions and reveled in pushing the boundaries of their power, heedless of the consequences. Many of these abberations indulged in the energy that pervaded the Nether. Some learned to wield the all-consuming powers of fel magic and, before long, the bloodthisty demons clawed their way into the physical universe, terrorizing mortal civilizations and bringing ruin to world after world.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 38 on iBooks Thal'kiel and the Wakeners Among the worlds is a world name Argus and it was home to a race known as the eredar. Among them was an eredar named Thal'kiel and he led an order of eredar magi called the Wakeners, specialists in the arts of conjuration and binding. They were renowned for their clever arcane constructs, exploring new frontiers in summoning. They pushed the limits of summoning and binding magics, conjuring the arcane entities that helped build the capital's wondrous architecture. Thal'kiel also devised the machines that focused the world's latent arcane energy, suffusing Argus with peace, harmony, and vitality. All were in awe of his abilities, including his young apprentice, Archimonde. However, Thal'kiel was brilliant, but he was not wise. Seeking to elevate his order to levels undreamed of, he searched uncharted terrain, venturing farther than any eredar had dared before. His spells plumbed the vastness of the Great Dark Beyond, petitioning for a deeper well of power. A dark presence whispered to him, and the eredar's mind was consumed with visions of power beyond his wildest imaginings, of ranks upon ranks of deadly servants eager to obey his every whim. These demonic forces made Thal'kiel's arcane constructs look like a child's playthings. Afterward, he would despise the arcane, his passion reserved only for fel magic.Tome of Blighted Implements - The Skull of the Man'ari Thal'kiel's mysterious benefactor bestowed upon him the ability to summon lesser demons, and the eredar immediately spread the knowledge to his Wakeners. Imps and felhounds, infernals and abyssals, all executed the commands of Thal'kiel and his sorcerers. Convinced that this was the start of a new era, Thal'kiel feverishly prepared to present his wondrous pets to the rules of Argus, Velen and Kil'jaeden. In the presence of Velen, Kil'jaeden, and the eredar rulers' inner circle, the sorcerer Thal'kiel demonstrated what his fel darlings could do. But when he looked upon his colleagues' faces, he didn't see the approval he expected. Kil'jaeden's expression was remote, inscrutable, but there could be no doubt about how Velen felt. He condemned Thal'kiel's new summonings and ordered him never to conjure them again. Despite that, Thal'kiel commanded his Wakeners to continue their experiments to summoning fel creatures. In secret, he and his sorcerers conjured demons of increasingly dire aspect, and they cast powerful spells to hide their minions in covert training grounds. Shielded from the eyes of Velen and Kil'jaeden, Thal'kiel slowly amassed a great demonic army with one purpose: to install him as dictator of Argus. The Wakeners were united behind Thal'kiel, save one—his apprentice, Archimonde. Although he had no aversion to demons—in fact, he rather enjoyed them—Archimonde was driven by ambition, and he was eager to prove himself to Velen and Kil'jaeden. The night before the Wakeners were to stage their coup, Archimonde revealed Thal'kiel's plans to the rulers of the eredar. Velen and Kil'jaeden were stunned to learn of Thal'kiel's treachery. He had summoned legions of fel beasts to build his personal empire, plotting to assassinate the eredar rulers. He had tapped into a strange new power whose limits were unknown, and he needed to be stopped, swiftly and without mercy. To prove his loyalty to Velen and Kil'jaeden, Archimonde broke the wards that hid where Thal'kiel's demonic army was marshaled, and he led a contingent of magi in storming the secret training grounds. The battle did not last long. Caught off guard, the Wakeners were easily defeated by the invading magi, and without commanders to direct them, the demons were slaughtered. Archimonde himself confronted his master as he was summoning reinforcements. With a single stroke of his blade, he decapitated Thal'kiel. The Burning Crusaders File:Archimonde the Defiler-0.jpg|Archimonde the Defiler: "This world will burn!" File:Eredar Deathbringer-0.jpg|Eredar Deathbringer: The eredar were once a peaceful race before succumbing to the dark promises and "gifts" of Sargeras. File:Kil'jaeden the Deciever.jpg|Kil'jaeden the Deceiver: "Chaos! Destruction! Oblivion!" Archimonde eventually rose to lead the eredar alongside Velen and Kil'jaeden, and by all accounts, he was a wise and sagacious ruler. In actuality, however, a demonic presence had been slowly infiltrating Archimonde's mind, using Thal'kiel's skull as a conduit for its pernicious influence. While Archimonde slept, he saw visions of civilizations consumed in magnificent fel fire, and a dark god standing at the head of a glorious army. The entity whispered promises of strength that were impossible for mere mortals to comprehend, and Archimonde drank them in, eager to learn more of this mysterious being and his invincible legions. Thus when the Dark Titan, Sargeras, finally came to Argus and offered the eredar a place in his kingdom, Archimonde was the first to accept. Sargeras bent the other eredar to his unholy will. Fanatical fel whisperings surged through the minds of the world's inhabitants, drowning out their ability to reason. Sargeras also infused the eredar with fel energies, twisting their forms to resemble hideous demons. Sargeras found quick use for his new fel-corrupted converts.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 103-104 on iBooks Born of the eredar race, warlocks are absolutely corrupt and unimaginably powerful. Their chaos magics have burnt out whole worlds and annihilated countless species over the aeons. Under Archimonde, the warlocks serve as the Legion's tacticians and strategists. The Necrolytes on Azeroth "[[Deathwing|''Your]]' blood will flow! Your skin he will wear for a cloak! Your flesh will feed his hounds! Your soul he will keep in a vial, ever to torment at his pleasure!..." - unknown eredar warlockThe Demon Soul pg. 9 on iBooks The fallen titan hoped to use sorcerers and their great magic to expedite the Legion's journey to Azeroth. Without a suitable gateway, he knew that traveling to the world would take ages. Much as he done with the eredar on Argus, Sargeras reached out to a group of elves known as the Highborne and capitalized on their hubris. The first Highborne to hear Sargeras's call was Lord Xavius and the power hungry Highborne brought Sargeras to Queen Azshara's attention. The fallen titan promised to grant the night elf queen and her servitors unfathomable power, thereby allowing them to remake Kalimdor into a paradise. Sargeras requested that Azshara and her followers summon his agents into the world of Azeroth so that they could give the Highborne this power.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 204-205 on iBooks File:Dizdemona-0.jpg|Dizdemona: Who would believe fel magic could hide behind such a face? File:Radak Doombringer-0.jpg|Radak Doombringer: Azeroth's darkest places offer great rewards to those willing to traverse them. File:Skorn, Mistress of Shadow TCG.jpg|Skorn, Mistress of Shadow: The greatest warlocks of Azeroth have one thing in common: a lust for strength not their own. The first necrolyte to set foot on Azeroth was Sataiel. With the strength to command the spirits of the living and the dead with fel magic, a feat that rivaled even Kil'jaeden's necromantic abilities, Sataiel was the first necrolyte.Tome of Blighted Implements - Ulthalesh, the Deadwind Harvester As those who became necrolytes weren't always necrolytes, the necrolytes gained knowledge from Sataiel. They bind souls and command the black powers that hold control over the earth. They hold power over all things dark and evil, including the raising of fallen warriors to create armies of the undead. And through ceremonies, they learn to warp the essence of shadow to use for their advantage.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Necrolyte When the night elf Illidan discovered that the warlocks could raise the dead, Illidan found himself admiring the audacity of the demons for the first time. He wanted to capture one of the warlocks and learn how its manner of spellcasting differed from his own. He questioned, "How better to defeat an enemy than to learn their strengths and add them to your own arsenal?".The Demon Soul, pg. 305-306 on iBooks This, it seems, lead him to his path of becoming the first demon hunter. Demon hunters, disciples of Illidan Stormrage, uphold a dark legacy, one that frightens their allies and enemies alike. The Illidari embrace fel and chaotic magics—energies that have long threatened the world of Azeroth—believing them necessary to challenge the Burning Legion. Wielding the powers of demons they’ve slain, they develop demonic features that incite revulsion and dread in fellow elves.World of Warcraft > Game Guide > Classes > Demon Hunter File:Blackhorn Fearmonger.jpg|Blackhorn Fearmonger: "Sargeras has granted us more power than Elune could ever dream of." File:Hateful Darkweaver.jpg|Hateful Darkweaver: "You should have joined our kind when you had the chance!" File:Jadefire Felsworn-0.jpg|Jadefire Felsworn: "The hunger of the Legion will never be sated." Sargeras also warped the defeated Xavius's body into a twisted demonic visage of jagged horns and cloven hooves. This new form became known as a satyr, and it would mark Xavius as an eternal servant of the Legion. At Sargeras's bidding, he set out to curse many of his fellow Highborne, transforming them into satyrs as well. One of them is Peroth'arn, first of the fel-touched. Like many of his fellow Highborne, Peroth'arn swore allegiance to the corrupted Xavius in exchange for gifts of demonic power. As a master of fiendish magic and recipient of the satyr curse, Peroth'arn stood outside in defense of the Burning Legion, ready to destroy those hoping to disrupt the entrance of the Dark Titan, Sargeras, into Azeroth.Peroth'arn (tactics) Unfortunately for Sargeras and most of his forces on Azeroth, they were sent back to the Twisting Nether. After his defeat at the Well of Eternity, Sargeras immediately planned his next method of infiltrating Azeroth. He knew he couldn't rely on a static portal; to serve a titan, such a gateway required an astronomical amount of power, and the most promising source had been destroyed in his last attempt. Moreover, the Highborne's laborious preparation and spellwork had given away his intentions, which had allowed the night elf resistance to thwart him. If he wanted to overcome Azeroth's defenders, Sargeras needed to enter the world with minimal warning. Thus he commanded the eredar to forge a tool that would wrench open rifts between worlds for only a short time, just long enough to let a portion of his soul through. Although that meant he couldn't enter Azeroth in his most devastating form, such an instrument would clear a path for his avatar to lead the Legion's invasion or carry out subtler schemes. Such an instrument would also weaken the integrity of the physical universe and threaten to collapse it, but Sargeras considered those to be only side benefits.Tome of Blighted Implements - The Scepter of Sargeras Sargeras ordered his most talented eredar sorcerers to construct him a cosmic battering ram. They did not disappoint. First, scores of magi conducted dark rituals to channel countless portals into a single staff. They then projected the empowered artifact into every corner of the Great Dark Beyond, weaving it into the fabric of reality, creating a thread that could be pulled to unravel the seams of the physical universe at will. To fuel this monstrous undertaking, a hundred warlocks sacrificed a hundred demons, selecting them from among the Legion troops that had been part of the failed invasion of Azeroth. The Necrolytes on Draenor Kil’jaeden, infuriated by the draenei’s flight from Argus and their refusal of Sargeras’ offer, led the Legion’s armies in pursuit of his former people throughout the cosmos. But the draenei eluded their hunters, discovering sanctuary on a remote world that they would name Draenor, the homeworld of the orcs. However, Kil'jaeden eventually found DraenorWorld of Warcraft > Game Guide > Races > Draenei and enthralled the orc shaman, Ner'zhul. Using the cunning shaman as his conduit, the demon spread battle lust and savagery throughout the orc clans. Before long, the spiritual race was transformed into a bloodthirsty people. Kil'jaeden then urged Ner'zhul and his people to take the last step: to give themselves over entirely to the pursuit of death and war. Yet the old shaman, sensing that his people would be enslaved to hatred forever, somehow resisted the demon's command. Frustrated by Ner'zhul's resistance, Kil'jaeden searched for another orc who would deliver his people into the Legion's hands. The clever demonlord finally found the willing disciple he sought - Ner'zhul's ambitious apprentice, Gul'dan.Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact File:Gul'dan.jpg|Gul'dan: "I am darkness incarnate. I will not be denied!" File:Orc Necrolyte-0.jpg|Orc Necrolyte: "Gul'dan's weakness was in his ego, not his area of study." File:Soulrender Keldah.jpg|Soulrender Keldah: "The Horde knows all power comes at a price. What are you willing to pay?" Gul’dan was promised unfathomable power in the form of mastery over fel magic—the ways of the warlock—if he would only swear fealty to the demon lord and usurp his mentor.Hearthstone > News > Gul'dan, The Warlock In turn, Gul'dan taught other young orcs the arcane arts and strove to eradicate the orcs' shamanistic traditions. Gul'dan showed a new brand of magic to his brethren, a terrible new power that reeked of doom. And to tighten his hold over the orcs, Kil'jaeden helped Gul'dan found the Shadow Council, a secretive sect that manipulated the clans and spread the use of warlock magics throughout Draenor. As more and more orcs began to wield warlock magics, the gentle fields and streams of Draenor began to blacken and fade. Over time, the vast prairies the orcs had called home for generations withered away, leaving only red barren soil. The demon energies were slowly killing the world. With the aid of the sorcerer Medivh and the Dark Portal that connected Draenor to Azeroth, Gul'dan led his orcish horde to Azeroth. The Scourge of the Living "Say what you like about the orcs; their warlocks wielded great power. Power against which we had precious little defense. We have an obligation: we must learn to wield and counter these magics ourselves." - Kel'ThuzadParagons pg. 426 on iBooks File:Ner'zhul Scourge.jpg|Ner'zhul: "The other orcs are lost. I am the Horde, and I will survive. Choose me, or choose death!" File:The Lich King.png|The Lich King: Before there was Arthas, there was Ner'zhul. After the Horde's defeat in the Second War, Ner'zhul sought to reinvigorate his followers by opening gateways to new worlds for them to conquer. To that end, he dispatched his servants to recover various artifacts from the Tomb of Sargeras, including the scepter, which the fallen titan had used to infiltrate Azeroth centuries before. Ner'zhul was not Sargeras, however, so he could not simply command the staff to open portals. He had to wait until the constellations of Draenor were properly aligned, and he could only use the scepter in conjunction with other artifacts. The warlock grew impatient, frustrated with his limitations. Intoxicated by the Skull of Gul'dan's influence, he had visions of his erstwhile apprentice, who urged him to unleash his godlike powers. When at last the moment arrived for Ner'zhul to act, he did so with wild abandon, heedless of the consequences. It mattered not to him if Draenor was destroyed; in fact, he welcomed it as part of his legacy. With the scepter, he blasted hole after hole through the fabric of reality, shredding the seams connecting Draenor to the rest of the physical universe. As he rushed headlong through one of the portals, he could hear the world shattering behind him. Kil'jaeden then captured Ner'zhul, his death knights, and warlock followers. He placed Ner'zhul within a block of ice gathered from the Twisting Nether. Warped by the demon's chaotic powers, Ner'zhul became a spectral being of unfathomable power. At that moment, the orc known as Ner'zhul was shattered forever, and the Lich King was born. Ner'zhul's loyal death knights and warlock followers were also transformed by the demon's chaotic energies. The wicked spell casters were ripped apart and remade as skeletal Liches.Undead History - Kil'jaeden and the New Deal from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos manual War on the Alternate Draenor Dark Practices Warlocks are the most volatile and insatiable of spellcasters. Though they often pledge themselves to the service of noble causes and are not innately evil, their desire to understand darker magics and exercise unwavering command over demonic forces breeds mistrust among even their closest allies. Warlocks peer into the Void without hesitation, leveraging the chaos they glimpse within to devastating ends in battle—their greatest abilities are fueled by the souls they’ve harvested from their victims. They exploit powerful Shadow magic to manipulate and degrade the minds and bodies of their enemies. They employ Fire magic, dropping hellish rain from the sky, to immolate the opposition. They summon and command indomitable demons from the Twisting Nether to do their bidding, or even to be sacrificed as the Warlock sees fit, empowering and protecting the dark caster from harm.World of Warcraft > Legion Class Preview Series: Warlock In the face of demonic power, most heroes see death. Warlocks see only opportunity. Dominance is their aim and they have found a path to it in the dark arts, the arts of necromancy. According to the Blizzard Historian Justin Parker, warlocks have necromantic abilities but aren't necromancers. It seems that Justin Parker doesn't understand that warlocks can't have the abilities '''OF necromancers without being necromancers themselves and that these voracious spellcasters summon demonic minions to fight beside them. At first, they command only the service of imps, but as a warlock’s knowledge grows, seductive succubi, loyal voidwalkers, and horrific felhunters join the dark sorcerer’s ranks to wreak havoc on anyone who stands in their master’s way.World of Warcraft > Game Guide > Classes > Warlock Demonic Theology "Mortals die, but demons are forever!" - Ulrac BloodshadowWoW TCG Card: Ulrac Bloodshadow File:Bo'ja, Arcanist Absolute.jpg|Bo'ja, Arcanist Absolute: "Da arcane is da key to everything. Lemme show you how to use it, eh?" File:Exaura the Cryptkeeper.jpg|Exaura the Cryptkeeper: "Just because your allies are dead doesn't mean they're useless." File:High Magus Euli.jpg|High Magus Euli: "Trickery is a resource of those devoid of power. Demonic theology is a branch of study relating to a demon (or demons). Students gifted with a keen intellect and unwavering discipline may walk the path of the mage. The arcane magic available to magi is both great and dangerous, and thus is revealed only to the most devoted practitioners.World of Warcraft > Game Guide > Classes > Mage Of the arcane, mages are diviners of secrets, balancing the ebb and flow of incredible mystic energies. Unparalleled skill is required to manipulate the volatile forces of the universe. These practitioners push their magical knowledge to its very limits—often to the brink of their own exhaustion, and at great risk to the world around them. Those who master this craft are capable of releasing a barrage of unrelenting power upon their enemies, drawing upon replenishing energies to maintain their assault for as long as the battle demands.World of Warcraft > Legion Class Preview Series: Mage File:Dalronn the Controller-0.jpg|Dalronn the Controller: "Give yourself to the Scourge, and I promise you a painless and hasty transition into the unending service of the Lich King." File:Pidge Filthfinder.jpg|Pidge Filthfinder: "Secrets are for sharing." File:Turane Soulpact.jpg|Turane Soulpact: "Sacrifice is a small price to pay for victory. Especially when someone else pays." Volatile arcane energies—the lifeblood of a nascent titan—''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 66 on iBooks are the energies of the Twisting NetherWarcraft II manual - Cho'gall and a common perception was shared that the magi's magic was unholy and possibly even demonic.Tides of Darkness, pg. 374-375 on iBooks By their very nature, demons are from the Twisting Nether—but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of these malefic beings. The destructive fel energies of demons can become so great that they begin tearing at the veil between the Nether and the physical universe;World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 42 on iBooks those specialized in the ways of demonology can pull fel energies and all manner of abomination from this destruction. While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless, the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures. These malignant entities are fully beholden to—and empowered by—the will of the warlock, until banished to the realm from whence they came.World of Warcraft > Legion Class Preview Series: Warlock '''Please Note': Demonic power is a nether-touched power that exists in - and is ultimately derived from - the Twisting Nether because demons are from the Twisting Nether. Despite that fact, when asked if perhaps warlocks are harnessing their power from the Twisting Nether, the Blizzard Historian known as Sean Copeland stated, “No, that’d be magi, IIRC. They gain power by the destruction of another source (recall the undead warlock in original cinematic)."Archived lore tweets from Loreology Additionally, he claims that demons contain fel magic but aren't the source, stating that the nature of this magic is created by destroying something else.MMO-Champion >> Forum >> World of Warcraft >> Lore >> Thinking with Fel Magic It seems that Sean Copeland doesn't understand that fel magic is demonic and destructive. If anything, demons are constructs in a state where their own structures are being destroyed by their own energies, energies that are released from demons during that process. After he was asked how demons can be alive since fel magic is destructive, Sean Copeland stated, "it's magic ;)". As such, Sean Copeland is joking and should not be taken seriously. Demonic Destruction "Catch a glimpse of your eternity." - Grindel HellbringerWoW TCG Card: Grindel Hellbringer File:Mazar-0.jpg|Mazar: "Many authorities on fel magic have thoroughly calculated that it will ultimate consume all who attempt to master it. Until that day arrives, though - wohoo!" File:Jeremiah Karvok.jpg|Jeremiah Karvok: "My methods can be quite disturbing, but I challenge you to question my results." File:Ryno the Wicked.jpg|Ryno the Wicked: "Don't come back without their bones." By their very nature, demons are constructs if (key word: if) they can be destroyed because destruction is the process of destroying structures, breaking them down into the parts that they're constructed of (death is for the living while destruction is for constructs). Constructs are not living things and so the study of magic involving constructs can be defined as necromancy, the study of magic involving the dead. The Game Designer known as Jeremy Feasel would not say a construct is dead because it was never alive reallyJeremy Feasel on Twitter yet Feasel claims that the wow team made warlocks about living demonsJeremy Feasel on Twitter - which is not true - and that no one is telling liesJeremy Feasel on Twitter - which is also not true. With Jeremy Feasel's own logic, using magic to raise and control skeletons (e.g. bone golems) isn't necromancy because skeletons are magical constructs made from the bones of the dead.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Skeleton Jeremy Feasel is clearly not telling the truth and unless constructs and their souls can be considered alive, using magic to summon and control demons can be defined as necromancy because they're constructs and, if they have souls, their souls are not "alive". File:Crush Soul.jpg|Crush Soul: "You didn't even have time to say hello." File:Invoke the Nether.jpg|Invoke the Nether: "It all ends here." - Forang Deathrattle File:Shadow and Flame.jpg|Shadow and Flame: "Diversify." - Harnessing Shadows by Lady Sevine Necromantic magic has many functions beyond simply raising the dead. Masters of this tainted field of magic can chill the living with the power of death, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and conjure festering diseases. Necromancy can also be used to reconstruct the flesh of undead creatures, allowing them to function again even after the foul monsters have been destroyed.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Necromancy Warlocks who command the power of destruction favor incantations of pure chaos and aggression in battle. In this regard, they’d find a stronger kinship with fire mages than warlocks of other disciplines—if not for their propensity to make use of magic deemed detestable by all mage orders. The destruction warlock is well-versed in discharging a dizzying array of shadow, fel, fire, and chaos magics upon opponents that rattle souls and conflagrate bodies. They require little motivation for the havoc they wreak, happy to revel in the destruction they cause—thrilled at any opportunity to watch the world erupt in discord around them. Demonic Suffering Life and death are cyclical. Undeath is forever. - Julia GravesWoW TCG Card: Julia Graves File:Felbender Lara.jpg|Felbender Lara: "What kind of curse is undeath if it falls so easily before my own incantations?" File:Forang Deathrattle.jpg|Forang Deathrattle: The ruined world of Draenor serves as a caution to those who would follow in Gul'dan's footsteps. File:Harrigan Soulsunder.jpg|Harrigan Soulsunder: "Taste the bitterness of your own mortality." After spending much of their lives in towers studying, voicing the principles of their belief, and pledging their full loyalty to the demonic powers they follow, it seems that the most proficient warlocks abandon their places of study to serve on the battlefield, as masters to demons. There, they use their demonic powers to curse enemies and worsen wounds. And while most stay behind the frontlines to support their demons, these unholy champions are also capable of cursing foes and carrying out dark justice. It seems that they’re also morally opposed to the use of Light and Holy magic—rather, they seem to be exemplars of the incredible disgrace and power of the demons and the Void, and it seems that even life cannot entirely halt their destroying capabilities. File:Curse of Weakness.jpg|Curse of Weakness: "The squeezing grip of shadows is not easily broken." - Kileana File:Demonic Accord.jpg|Demonic Accord: "Power often requires a small sacrifice at the very least." - Kristoff Manchester File:Grim Reach.jpg|Grim Reach: "My reach extends into your soul." - Forang Deathrattle Indulging in fel energies that can curse beings, affliction warlocks are the masters of shadow magic.World of Warcraft > Legion: Warlock Artifact Reveal Shadow magic can be described as priestlyWorld of Warcraft > Game Guide > Classes > Priest and perhaps warlocks who serve demons as ministers can be considered demonic priests. Unlike shadow priests—deadliest when pushed to the brink of insanity—these warlocks delight in using demonic forces to cause intense pain and suffering in others. They revel in corrupting minds and agonizing souls, leaving enemies in a state of torment that would see them undone in due time. Even the most battle-hardened warriors can be deceived, landing blow after blow against the warlock, only to succumb to their suffering as their very life energy is siphoned away by the dark spellcaster. File:Curse of Tongues.jpg|Curse of Tongues: Sister Clara gasped as she tried to speak and nothing but demonic utterances issued forth. File:Drain Mana.jpg|Drain Mana: Tremendous power comes from a warlock's ability to sustain complex rituals. File:Life Tap-0.jpg|Life Tap: When the dark arts call for flesh, you can only trust your own. Some warlocks, it seems, pride themselves on pragmatism. They understand that sickly green light casts a shadow, that disorder is defined by order, and that true discipline stems from one’s ability to balance these opposing powers in services of a greater cause. While these warlocks possess many virtues to aid their allies, they also seem to dabble in the dark arts to debilitate their enemies—always exercising immense discipline to keep themselves away from the brink of insanity. Many would say the ends justify the means; mysteries both arcane and vile should be studied and understood to protect the congregation. Demonic Worship Demonic worship is the worship of a demon (or demons). The Shadow Council, foul warlocks behind nearly every attempt to bring demons into Azeroth, perpetuates the corruption of the land known as Felwood. At a place called Jaedenar, named in worship of Kil'jaeden himself, they worship the demons of the Burning Legion, and work to open the path for their masters to return to this world.Quest:Forces of Jaedenar The Burning Blade - a foul, demon-worshipping cult - is simply a cult of warlocks under the demon Zmoldor's direction that are bringing out the natural hostility in orcs.World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred pg. 227 on iBooks Demonic Sacrifices "Blood is a pure offering to those who give us these vast powers..." - Gul'danRise of the Horde pg. 392 on iBooks Demons of the Warlocks "...the demons capering at the heels of the warlocks can destroy and torment, but they cannot heal or feed the starving." - DurotanRise of the Horde pg. 372 on iBooks Demons are evil immortals who feed upon life and magic. As immortals, demons are the opposite of mortals — living beings that die. As such, demons are not living and warlocks—who bind demons to their will—are necromancers. Despite that fact, Jeremy Feasel claims that the wow team made warlocks about living demonsJeremy Feasel on Twitter and that the Twisting Nether is the only place where demons can die.Jeremy Feasel on Twitter This claim that demons are merely living beings that can die should not fool anyone who looks at this section. If demons are merely living beings that can die, they're merely mortals who cheat death, which means that they can become undead (former mortals) just so long as their death-cheating way is prevented. Felhunters File:Frenzied Felhound.jpg|Frenzied Felhound: Even seasoned warlocks find the completely alien nature of felhounds unsettling. File:Morfiel.jpg|Morfiel: Felhunters feed on magical energies ... and those who wield them. File:Thulthun.jpg|Thulthun: No one can hide from the hounds of Hakkar. Felhunters seem to be the manifestations of disorder. They are creatures out of nightmare: bodies of fel flesh and twisting tendrils that devour energy like a dark and vampiric void within the worlds of the Great Dark. These malignant entities can - and do - serve warlocks, and they seem to exist only to transform the worlds they infest into places of despair and lifelessness. Felhunters feed on arcane energy,Quest:Kazok'thul an energy that fel energy is counteracted by.Quest:Opposites Repel Volatile arcane energies—the lifeblood of a nascent titan—''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 66 on iBooks are the energies of the Twisting Nether and so the warlocks' felhunters presumably reside in the Twisting Nether, searching for arcane energy to feast upon, or travel in-between the Twisting Nether and the physical universe. Imps File:Gakuri.jpg|Gakuri: "What's in it for me?" File:Gobloz.jpg|Gobloz: "Fine, fine! Don't say I never did anything for you!" File:Piztog.jpg|Piztog: "What? You mean you can't kill this one by yourself?" The imps are, presumably, former grell who have been destroyed and trapped between life and nether. Presumably, these beings derive power from the fel energies that pervade the nether. Demons hungered for nothing less than the destruction of all life in the universe.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 37 on iBooks As such, if imps have any life, imps hungered for nothing less than the destruction of it when they're in the universe. An imp can be hit with a fel bolt that transforms the cackling monster into a pool of bubbling slime,World of Warcraft: Illidan pg. 280 - He rolled with the impact, riding the force of the strike. As he did so, he praid the imp who had blasted him, hitting the demon with a fel bolt that turned the cackling little monster into a pool of bubbling slime. which means that imps are not immune to destruction from the highly destructive fel magic. The Necrolyte clan believes that the strange slimes found in certain areas seek to eat blood. No magiks could have created these crawling masses, but yet they exist. This slime seems attracted to the heat of bodies, and will seep through to drain into the pores of its victims and sap them of strength and life.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Slime 2 Infernals File:Dread Infernal.jpg|Dread Infernal: "When the smoke cleared, I wished it hadn't." - Warden Stormclaw File:Infernal.jpg|Infernal: The master of every infernal worries not about its death, but that it might survive too long. File:Twisted Infernal.jpg|Twisted Infernal: "Ah, finally, my support has arrived." - Amaxi the Cruel Warlocks can summon many demonic soldiers to destroy their enemies. The powerful Infernal is just one of these. Infernals seem to be constructed fel elementals who are trapped between fel construction and fel destruction. Despite that fact, it seems that Jeremy Feasel believes that controlling these constructs composed with fel fire and stone isn't dark shamanism because they're fel constructs.Jeremy Feasel on Twitter It seems that he doesn't know that elementals can be constructed: One example of elementals that can be constructed are fire elementals.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Fire Elemental The spells of the warlocks and other dark sorcerers of the Legion made infernals a force nigh unstoppible.The Sundering pg. 298 on iBooks Succubi "A succubus is a devourer of souls, destroyer of hearts, tempter of men. A creature of profound evil and of singular mind. It cannot be brought into our world without a stimulus. Thus we use its own strength against it. With the hearts of good men, pure men, loving men, the succubus will be unable to resist, and will cross into our world." - Carendin HalgarQuest:Devourer of Souls (Undercity) File:Angrida.jpg|Angrida: "Don't touch what you can't afford." File:Helwen.jpg|Helwen: She'll whip you into shape. File:Sarlia-0.jpg|Sarlia: "I love attention, honey - just not that kind." Succubi, or sayaad, are agile fighters with command of the mystic arts—particularly the ability to magically charm their targets—and they have overrun even the strongest of minds. While there are many sayaad that loyally serve the Burning Legion, there are also those that serve only themselves or can be impressed by a warlock master.Ultimate Visual Guide Those in the grasp of a warlock's succubi can undergo brainwashing and so a warlock can, presumably, use his - or her - succubus to brainwash his - or her - victim into servitude - whether the victim is alive or undead. Voidwalkers File:Grimnar.jpg|Grimnar: "It will be done." File:Sarmoth.jpg|Sarmoth: Voidwalkers do not fear pain, so they are popular with warlocks who do. File:Velnoth.jpg|Velnoth: "I don't like this place." Enigmatic and emanating pure demonic fury, a voidwalker is sometimes the last thing someone encounters before crossing over into death.Major Payne’s Pet Menagerie: Lesser Voidcaller Entropy and Destruction The devouring fires of entropy are one of the primary forces wielded by warlocks. Entropy, as it can be defined, represents the unavailability of a system's energy for conversion into work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in a system. In the physical universe, the forces of Disorder and Order govern the cosmic systems of the physical universe. Order, in reality, is most commonly perceived as arcane magic. This type of energy is innately volatile, and wielding it requires intense precision and concentration. Conversely, disorder is manifested as highly destructive fel magic, a brutal and extremely addictive energy is fueled by drawing life from living beings.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 17 on iBooks File:Kena Shadowbrand.jpg|Kena Shadowbrand: Warlocks have the ability to convert their own life force into rewards - both material and evanescent. After Micky was asked if life can be destroyed, Micky stated that it seems like just a change of energy and in most - if not all - fantasy settings, death (or necromantic) magic is considered to be a form of life magic (it's a form of magic and it's the opposite of life magic). Presumably, this is because if life can be converted (or transformed) into another state, the state that life can be converted (or transformed) into would not be animate or living. And when regarding to World of Warcraft lore, warlocks (according to how Dave Kosak describes it) convert life into fel, draining the victim as a source of power.Dave Kosak on Twitter Fel is the primal force of chaos and can pool into a green goop when it's in physical form.Dave Kosak on Twitter It is described as a substance and it can be animatedAnimated Fel (is that substance alive when animated?). Prior to being animated, fel is inanimate and so warlocks can, presumably, animate - or fuel - the fel by drawing life from living beings and be considered animancers or necromancers. Decay A warlock can create a cloud comprised of brimstone, acid, and poisonous gases to envelop and choke his targets. This foul stench eats through anything that stands in its way, and chokes the very life out of anyone unlucky enough to be in its path. It is a mix of the sickly stench of rotting corpses and the essence of evil, designed to corrode and decay all that it comes in contact with it.Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual - Poison Cloud Decay is the entropic tool of those seeking to subjugate and weaponize the elements themselves. In the physical universe, the elements of fire, air, earth, and water serve as the basic building blocks of all matter.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 17-18 on iBooks Composed of the primordial matter from which the universe was born, the titans are godlike beings who were uniquely susceptible (and therefore connected) to fel magic.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 97 on iBooks When the titans finally awoke, they did so as living worldsWorld of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 32 on iBooks and it seems that this connection between fel magic and worlds allowed its users to control a world, which can be defined as the earth. As such, it seems that fel magic is the tool of those seeking to subjugate and weaponize the earth even though decay is the tool of those seeking to subjugate and weaponize the elements. Entropic Horrors File:Fel Inversion.jpg|Fel Inversion: "You think he looks goofy? YOU tell him that." - Myro Lumastis File:Offering to the Nether.jpg|Offering to the Nether: "What the Nether wants, the Nether gets." - Harrigan Soulsunder File:Reverse Polarity.jpg|Reverse Polarity: "Arcane magic doesn't follow normal rules of nature. Opposites definitely do not attract." - Belmaril, Timewalker Bloodmage Energies can be so chaotic that they manifest as entropic horrors, pure fel magic given form to lash out at all life, the essence they drop is entropic and poisonous. Chaotic energies are the energies of the Twisting Nether and as pure fel magic given form, the entropic horrors of the Twisting Nether need to be fueled by sacrifice: But an insignificant sacrifice is required to fuel fel magic.World of Warcraft: Volume 4'' - Whispers - "Let me help you fight that monster...for fel magic is powerful...and we are near the sea. It requires but an insignificant sacrifice--a living fish or two, a few strands of seaweed--to fuel the magic." Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and the titans had hounds, instantly attuned to punish those who delved into such sorcery, police the use of arcane magic. Warlock Magics Warlock magics are demonicUndead History - The Shaman, Ner'zhul: Origin of the Lich King from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos manual - With Kil'jaeden’s help, Gul'dan succeeded where his teacher had faltered. The evil, power-hungry Orc not only abolished the ancient practice of shamanism – which he replaced with the study of demonic Warlock magics – but united the Orc clans into the volatile Horde that Kil'jaeden had envisioned. Ner'zhul, powerless to stop his former apprentice, could only watch as Gul'dan masterfully transformed the orcs into mindless agents of destruction. powers of entropy and destruction, which is a process - not a living thing. Warlock magics do not come from the living and warlock energy spreads like radiation,Micky Neilson on Twitter which means that warlock energy can seep into - and exist inside - warlocks. As warlocks would be a - if not the - source of demonic power (or warlock magics)Orcish History (After the Second War) - Lethargy and Internment: Researching what little he could find of Orcish history, Antonidas learned that the Orcs had been under the crippling influence of demonic power (or warlock magics) for generations., warlocks have a bond with demons. And, presumably, warlocks can destroy their own structures to release the demonic powers inside them and give them form, creating entropic horrors. Notable Spells These spells are warlockian spells that should be noted for they are iconic warlockian abilities despite the fact that they seem to be - or are - necromantic spells or variations on necromantic spells used by necromancers. By infusing corpses with the energies of these seemingly necromantic spells, warlocks can, presumably, raise the dead. Fel Armor Fel Armor seems to be - or is - a variation on Unholy Armor, a death knight's and necrolyte's spell. The Fel Armor seems to be an ancient necromantic spell, like the death knight's Unholy Armor spell, that transforms a portion of the warlock's own life force into into armor, like the death knight's Unholy Armor spell. Nether Vision Nether Vision seems to be - or is - a variation on Dark Vision. Wherever there is order, there would be disorder, and it is this disorder that the warlocks would use to see into places he cannot travel. Wherever the slightest chaos is cast, the sight of the warlock can, presumably, enter and view. The effects of this spell seem to be limited in size, for too much knowledge of the confines of chaos can be known to forever trap the caster within the realm of demons. Shadow Bolt Shadow Bolt seems to be - or is - a variation on Shadow Spear, a necrolyte's spell. This would be a bolt of energy culled from evils. When one dies, his - or her - soul would descend into Hades for judgement, and his - or her - essence divided into good and evil. The warlocks seem to have learned how to siphon the black energies of this plane and use it for their own purposes. This weapon of darkness seems to be a manifestation of black souls, and seems to cause excruciating pain to those it strike. Organization(s) Shadow Council The Council of the Black Harvest Souls (Life Essences) Soulbinding File:Demonic Soulstone.jpg|Demonic Soulstone: "You're done when I say you're done." - Victor Baltus File:Pagatha Soulbinder.jpg|Pagatha Soulbinder: "Do you have the courage to seize what you desire? Are you willing to do whatever you must to achieve your goals?" File:Soulbond.jpg|Soulbond: "You'll do as I say, even if it means the death of you." Warlock energy spreads like radiation and could seep into - and exist inside - warlocks. As warlocks would be a - if not the - source of demonic power (or warlock magics), warlocks would have a connection to demons and, by extension, the Twisting Nether. This soulbond a warlock can have with a demon would - or does - allow the warlock to control the soul, whether it is disembodied (undead) or not. Despite that fact, it seems that Jeremy Feasel believes warlocks don't control souls even though they enslave demons and steal souls,Jeremy Feasel on Twitter controlling where they go. After he was asked if perhaps the warlocks' soul-controlling abilities are non-canon, he stated, "Of course you use souls, you have soul shards. You dont use them to raise the dead though."Jeremy Feasel on Twitter Lore-wise, there isn't anything that's preventing a warlock from using souls to raise corpses and canon has established that. And even if all warlocks don't use souls to raise corpses, necromancy still extends to harvesting souls and manipulating the souls of the dead: the specialty of Gothik the Harvester, master of necromancy, is manipulating the souls of the dead.Hearthstone > News > Curse of Naxxramas: The Military Quarter Eventually, Jeremy Feasel stated that it's okay to have your own definition of necromancy. Control of souls vs. raising soulless UD.Jeremy Feasel on Twitter Soul-Consuming File:Soul Shard.jpg|Jar Soul: It does not reflect the face of the viewer, but rather the face of the soul trapped within. File:Soul Trap.jpg|Soul Trap: Fel magic has a profound effect on the soul - both the victim's and the warlock's. Fel energies can - or does - consume souls. It is presumed that when fel energies consume souls, a fragment of the soul is left behind. This fragment is, presumably, known as a soul shard. A demonic resource, a soul shard is a foul crystal that creates a connection to the Twisting Nether, pulling a demon and, by extension, its demonic powers through against its will. Soul shards can be combined into a soul trap. The Burning Legion The Burning Legion is the single most destructive force within the Great Dark Beyond. Sargeras created this vast demonic army to scour all creation. The Burning Legion moves from world to world, decimating everything in its path with devastating fel magic. It is stated that no one knows exactly how many worlds and mortal civilizations the demons have annihilated in their unholy Crusade.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 25-26 on iBooks Acolytes of the Burning Legion File:Acolyte Demia.jpg|Acolyte Demia: "Whenever a warlock starts talking about sharing the wealth, I opt to be a pauper." - Timmo Shadestep File:Acolyte Kemistra.jpg|Acolyte Kemistra: "You take the high road. I'll take the easy path to power." File:Plague Fleshbane.jpg|Plague Fleshbane: "The Legion are mere pawns in the greater game." Acolytes are stated to be beings who have given themselves over to the power of Ner'zhul and the Scourge. However, warlock acolytes are most likely beings who have given themselves over to the power of Sargeras and the Burning Legion. When demons of the Legion fall out of favor, their spirits are imprisoned within orbs and distributed to their mages and warlocks, magical practitioners who seek to understand darker, fel-based magics, including destructive spells. While many warlocks willingly follow the Burning Legion, there are those who work against it, using their magic to fight against evil. Warlocks have proven themselves to be powerful allies—as well as powerful foes.Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 21 The Denizens of the Cosmos "There are few enough interested in learning the ways of the warlock..." ''- Ruzan The following below this section are races that can practice the warlockian arts: Dreadlords The dreadlords are incredibly powerful demons who wield the powers of darkness and mental domination. The dreadlord marks the pinnacle of his dark powers with the devastating ability to summon a fiery infernal with the Inferno spell, the warlocks' Inferno spell. At his call, the infernal will streak down from the sky, stunning and wounding forces when it crashes to the earth. The infernal, engulfed in searing flame, will then rise to do the dreadlord's bidding as if a corpse rising from a ground. According to Sean Copeland, calling dreadlords necromancers seems to pigeonhole their abilities because they're demons. Perhaps warlocks should not be called necromancers because they possess the knowledge of demons and are thus essentially demons themselves. Eredar The eredar, the Legion's warlocks,The Sundering, pg. 70 on iBooks are skilled sorcerers in both fel and shadow magics. They are credited as the first race to practice the warlockian arts even though, technically, dreadlords were wielding shadow magics and summoning infernals long before the eredar were transformed into man'ari. The eredar warlocks were not only the sorcerers of the Burning Legion, but they also acted as its officers and strategists. There were scores of eredar warlocks and even though they had no wings, they kept aloft through spells. Orcs File:Azamoth Deathfang.jpg|Azamoth Deathfang: "You are worthless! All I need to do is point, and your life will be forfeit." File:Snarl Hellwind.jpg|Snarl Hellwind: "All must be sacrificed for the glory of the Horde!" Despite no longer having warlocks in their ranks, the orcs of Thrall's Horde still carried within them the unmistakable mark of the Burning Legion upon their very souls up until the moment that Grom Hellscream defeated Mannoroth. Cenarius, as a being so attuned to nature that he can sense the slightest corruption, assumed that the orcs in Ashenvale were scouts of the Legion. This, ironically, sent the Warsong clan back into the service of Mannoroth and lead to the reestablishment of their connection to the potent fel magics that first bound them to the Legion.Ask Creative Development/Round 3 - For the Horde Undead "''Even the dead might feel alive, with that power coursing through us." - Venya Marthand File:Andarius the Damned.jpg|Andarius the Damned: "This fight bores me. Show some spirit!" File:Delrach the Vile.jpg|Delrach the Vile: "I sense great power in you. I will enjoy taking it." File:Valthak Spiritdrinker.jpg|Valthak Spiritdrinker: "You shall face me in the end. Fools always do." The undead warlocks are former mortals who have died and become trapped between life and death. These tragic beings derive power from the necromantic energies that pervade the universe. It is stated that most undead warlocks are driven by vengeance and hatred to destroy the one thing that they can never have again: life.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 27-28 on iBooks Warlockian Objects Bloodstone Bloodstones are stones that contain a great deal of power that can only be awakened once they are fed. A bloodstone was neither living nor dead and blood that had spilled near a bloodstone pendant can - or does - slowly move toward the piece of jewelry, as if gravity had somehow bent itself toward it. The blood that touched the pendant can - or does - seem to disappear, and the red colour of the stone can - or does - deepen as it drank more blood. In addition to blood, there are elemental forces fused within the stone. Fire, water, thunder and rock are mixed with the blood and although this mixture is outwardly inert, all these forces seem to rage inwardly against each other.Belamoore's Research Journal Bloodstones can be fed with the blood of demons. A warlock can use a bloodstone artifact to summon demons in large numbers and can hope to use bloodstone to bend the will of demons that would otherwise not be so easily controlled. Warlockian Orbs The spirit of a fel construct such as an infernal can be used in the creation of a warlockian orb.Infus Emerald This orb is used to imprison a spirit and make it serve a warlock. Warlockian Tower This is where the knowledge of the dark magics are revealed. Warlocks reside here to focus their energies towards harnessing the forces of the underworld. Their sect demands payment in precious metals for any services they may offer, as it is then converted into the mystic symbols used in their castings. Metal cages in which to place the subjects of their experiments must be constructed, as well as the ornate metal runes that need to be built into the stone floors for their summoning spells.Tower (Warcraft: Orcs & Humans) RPG Information Life Tap The most dedicated of practitioners of the dark arts are willing to sacrifice everything in their pursuit of greater power, and this spell is one example of how far some warlocks are willing to go. When casting this spell, the caster cuts a gash in the body, using blood as a reagent.More Magic & Mayhem References de:Hexenmeister fr:Démoniste (Classe) pl:Warlock ru:Чернокнижник Category:Lore Category:Warlocks